First Mess-up of the Year

Might as well get it out of the way......

So in trying to streamline my luggage to and from school, I've decided that it'd be best to just bring the bare necessities to school today.  Although my intention was, as it always is, to pack the night before, it just didn't happen.  You teachers know how quickly we fall asleep after the first day of school!

So this morning as I'm amidst the hustle and bustle of balancing my demanding 18 month old, making breakfast for the two of us and my son (who decided to wake up early on his last day of summer vacation), cleaning up, and dressing, I hastily shoved my laptop and lesson plan binder into my bag.  Quickly glancing over my resource books, I came to the conclusion that since I wouldn't look at them during the day anyway, I'd just leave them at home.

When I get to school, I open up my lesson plan binder with 15 minutes left until the bell rings.  Lo and behold, the most vital piece of information for any teacher was no where to be found.  I had left my lesson plans for this week AT HOME!!

Needless to say, I was a bit of a wreck this morning, as I'd have no prep periods until 11:10 (10:00 if I included recess).  Don't know whether to blame it on the pregnancy, exhaustion after the first day, or just plain carelessness, but now that I survived the day, I can sit back and laugh.  Yes, I managed to survive!  =) 

We continued Daily 5, and the 3rd way to read a book, by retelling Splat the Cat, a book we read yesterday.  The students decorated their file jackets - which will be their "book boxes" for the year. Next week, I'll have a discussion for how to pick a Just Right Book, but for the rest of this week, I think I'll just fill their book boxes with books chosen for them.

Today I also launched our Investigations Unit 1. So the students explored some of the math manipulatives: pattern blocks, unifix cubes, and geoblocks.  I wasn't quite sure what the difference was between geoblocks and power polygons, so I'll have to look more into that.

Lots of labeling, coloring, guided discovery with markers....

The students so far have told me that first grade is fun and that they like it..... Now if only I can get them to sit still on the carpet during lesson time......  Sigh.  I always forget, these kids are just kindergartners. They need a couple more months.  By then, I'll be on maternity leave!  =)

We'll see how tomorrow goes.  Hopefully this time, I remember my lesson plans.  =)  Thanks for listening, my faithful readers! Have a great day!

-jt-